with institute in the brandywell is this a permanent move altogether? their old ground was that far on the other side of the river foyle?

Stute's old ground wasn't technically in Derry, but in the village of Drumahoe - which is right on the city's south-eastern edge, on the road to Belfast. It's fecked, and there's no way they'll be moving back there (The ground that is. Though probably Drumahoe too...)

They're trying to get a ground in a much more central area in the city's Waterside. The site they're keen on is less than 2 miles from the Brandywell, but crucially for them is in the protestant 'half' of the city (the Waterside). Although the demographics continue to shift, so I suspect by the time they do get a new stadium there the Waterside will be majority catholic (it's probably almost there already. The 2021 census will reveal all).

I'll be surprised if they're not still at Brandywell in 5yrs time. They need Stormont funding to help sort a new stadium, and there is no NI Executive in place to allocate that funding - and no sign of it returning. There certainly won't be an Executive until after Brexit is sorted anyway, and that continues to drag on. Even when they do get funding sorted, they'll need time for planning, ground works, building etc.

And even when they do get a new ground, Stute will still struggle to attract many fans. So they'll therefore remain very much the little brother club in the city.

This is only twenty odd years too late. Stute should have a nice little stadium in this area already. They pressed on against all common sense and advice to the contrary building the riverside.

There doesn't seem to be any info on this consultation online. Anyone?

The interesting part of the statement is its specifically unspecific - it doesn't mention by name where they played out last season, which is were they should have been these last few decades. Now ordinarily I'd say they're twenty years too late to build here now, as they could never get planning permission there, for something like they had in drumahoe, now. But the vagueness lends itself to speculation that they're eyeing up a site adjacent that may be available.

They're trying to get a ground in a much more central area in the city's Waterside. The site they're keen on is less than 2 miles from the Brandywell, but crucially for them is in the protestant 'half' of the city (the Waterside). Although the demographics continue to shift, so I suspect by the time they do get a new stadium there the Waterside will be majority catholic (it's probably almost there already. The 2021 census will reveal all).
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There's been a middle-class Catholic influx into the Waterside area of Derry since the last census. Into the former Ebrington ward in particular, which is where Stute hope to move. So there'll definitely be a big chance in the demographics of the area come census night in 2021.

They really do feel like a club which is going to struggle to find a decent fan base and relevance wherever they go. Which is a shame really, as they're a nice wee club. They'll just always be over-shadowed by Derry City. Particularly as the city's population has been used to looking south for its football for over 3 decades now.

They'd only be asked to travel within their province. The same thing they do in the other provincial leagues.

Other provincial leagues, the Dublin and district, the cork and district and the we couldn't be arsed.

As was pointed out up the page, it couldn't even be called the Donegal and district. More like the inishowen and swilly league, think that covers everyone bar harps, and not sure teams want to travel as far as ballybo.

They be handier applying to Leinster. Might be able to get to a few games with under two hours travel

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I don't know specifics but instinctively I would think that the IFA can't stop a football team from playing in whatever league they want. Happy to be corrected but I doubt that power exists.

Under EU Competiition and Constraint of Trade laws they can't.

Even when (if ?) the UK leaves the EU, they'll still be incorporating EU law into UK law and then unpicking the bits they don't like. So in shot - they can't legally be stopped.

I doubt they're that clever or strategic about things, but maybe the USL move is just a rouse to establish the principle of them playing in the south now before Brexit kicks in, in order to make it easier to later transfer to the LOI ?

Even when (if ?) the UK leaves the EU, they'll still be incorporating EU law into UK law and then unpicking the bits they don't like. So in shot - they can't legally be stopped.

I doubt they're that clever or strategic about things, but maybe the USL move is just a rouse to establish the principle of them playing in the south now before Brexit kicks in, in order to make it easier to later transfer to the LOI ?

I'd say that's it alright, USL is just a placeholder and to test the water as regards to quality with two reserve sides in there, no point going to the LOI if Harps and Derry reserves can thump you